Here are some photos I’ve collected to go along with my memoirs - enjoy
Prologue: Mom and Dad
Stella Denk at the Smith's place
Al and Stella on a snow Trip
Portrait of Stella (age 19 - 1915)
Al: "will you marry me?" sweeping his hand out over that expansive view, "I want to give you the whole world"
Al and Stella engagement picture at the Smiths
Stella with Floyd and Marie at the Smith home in Fresno
Al and Stella's wedding day (June 5th 1924) attendants were Al and Mame Smith (who subsequently got married)
The Louis Denk Family: (Back L-R) Grandpa Louis, Grandma Helene, Bruno, Anna, Front (L-R) Luddy, Alex
The Alphonse Vershelden Family: (about 1915) (Back L-R): Loretta, Alphonse Jr. (Babe), Joe, Stella, Leo (Front L-R): Bernadette, Grandpa Alphonse, Vincent, Grandma, Frank
Packing shed in Imperial Valley where Dad worked after he left the farm
Al with his motorbike
Early camping trip - Dad's sister Anna on the left, Stella in the middle and unknown friend
Mome Mom and Dad built in Turlock; my first home
Al at National Guard Encampment (see my story for more details)
Al on left with his National Guard Buddies
My Earliest Years
The infamous "nude" photo
Me on the farm in Kansas with Grandma B. (one year old)
Me astride "Old Dobbin"
With Dad; I'm wearing my red bathing suit with red-white mesh top
Me with "Buddy" and Gene in wading pool Dad made for us. Note clothes line in background (see my story). That's a gigh wooden playpin (background) that we all were encaged in
Me with the Krause twins (Dad's family) whom we often visited in Tracy (From L-R) "Buddy", Regina, Me, Kathryn (where Kathy's name came from)
me with Charlie Trowbridge
Claire and Charlie Trowbridge
"Buddy" (John) and me with neighbor
Gene "Buddy" (John) and Me in Modesto. I remember the dress well - rust and white plaid. Loot that the curly hair! My hair was straight as a stick, and I wanted curls like Shirley Temple for special occassions. Mom would put my hair up in rages (no curlers in those days) the night before. AFter morning comb-out, the curls lasted about two hours
1930's verion of a "Swing Set"
Mom and me at the Awhanee Sanatarium "we weren't incarcerated there at the same time"
My first bicycle (used) in Sonora